


TTS: Muse | BOOK ONE: MNEME

by MallowPuffCorn



Series: TTS: Muse [1]
Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Adventure, Canon Divergence, Disney Songs, Eventual Romance, Fan Lore, Fanfiction, Fantasy, How Do I Tag, Lore - Freeform, Magic, Multi, OC is MC, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, POV Original Female Character, Pining, Writer's Block, for fun, funfiction, songfic-ish
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:40:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25127140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MallowPuffCorn/pseuds/MallowPuffCorn
Summary: "You can never run from destiny."Rafina Lantos just wanted to be known as any other normal kid her age. A well-known minstrel in Corona, and the best friend to a troublesome alchemist. But when the ethereal magic enters her life once more, she finds it hard to maintain the normalcy she had worked so hard to build. Struggling to juggle her duties, handling family conflict, supporting her best friend and the Princess and keeping her secrets, how can Rafina continue to remain "normal" when she's anything but?---------------------------------------------------------------------------[I suck at summaries, but that goes without saying. This story is just a "writing to get rid of writer's block" project for me, so read at your own risk! Feel free to leave comments about your thoughts, criticisms, etc, but remember that I'm writing this for fun! Let's not get too serious! This is my first story here, hope it's decent enough? Haha.]
Relationships: Cassandra & Rapunzel (Disney: Tangled), Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider & Original Female Character(s), Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider & Varian, Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel, King Frederic of Corona & Varian (Disney), Queen Arianna of Corona & Rapunzel (Disney), Rapunzel & Varian (Disney), Rapunzel (Disney) & Original Child Character(s), Varian (Disney) & Original Character(s), Varian (Disney)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: TTS: Muse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1820164
Comments: 3
Kudos: 2





	1. Prologue

_Hauntingly beautiful._

Those words couldn’t help but pop into your mind as you gaze upon the site before you. What was once a proud and majestic temple is now a pile of rubble scattered about the crest of the hill overlooking the abandoned kingdom. Despite the weather, the moonlight manages to pierce through a thin veil of clouds and cast its light upon the ruins.

Shining marble pieces lay in piles, surrounded by numerous farming tools, torches and weapons littered about. The grass had been thoroughly trampled over, with footprints left in the wake of what was once a group of determined villagers. You could only imagine what became of them after they finished unleashing their wrath upon the temple.

Slowly, you take small strides through the ruins, eyes scanning what lay before you. If you are really willing to take your time to study the marble pieces, you would be able to determine that the temple that once stood was dedicated to recording the events of the past, all centering around a particular family. However, it’s unnecessary. You have come to the Temple of Yesterday’s Records for a more important mission, after all.

You stop short, eyeing a lean marble pillar that had fallen over. To many, it had been the result of the attack. To you, it marks the entrance to **that** place. Quickly, you heft the pillar aside to reveal an unremarkable trapdoor, splintered under tremendous weight. You take a nearby torch. Pulling the trapdoor open, you drop down.

As soon as your feet make contact with the ground, you make quick work to light your torch. The flame sparks to life and reveals to you a long stretch of hallway. Taking in a shaky breath, you raise your torch. Nothing like walking down a long, mysterious and possibly dangerous corridor with minimal light. You’ll be fine, right? Right.

You inhale, only to let out a sneeze because of course an area closed off for a number of years would be dusty.

You venture forward.

As you walk, you find yourself drawn to the murals on the wall. The tiles are arranged to tell a well-known legend, the one about the mysterious cosmic event from which three celestial objects struck the Earth. They brought about the rise and fall of many, however, the mural follows the adventures of specific people, all connected to one another’s fates.

You follow this train of thought as you turn your head. At the end of the hallway stands a stone pillar. Sitting on top is a familiar book, your reason for seeking out this accursed place. You draw nearer and scrutinise its cover. It is just as you remember it. Stitched into the beaten cover are four squares, each one containing symbols for the sun, moon, the kingdom and its owner’s respectively.

You flip the book open, only to be greeted by yellowed pages. Usually, people who don’t own the book can’t access the knowledge held within it. Breathing heavily through your nose, you pluck a silver quill from your hair and hold it above a random page.

You speak **her** name.

As if the name you uttered had been a magical incantation, the quill suddenly vibrates with life, humming with mystical energy as it starts to zip about the page. Written in large letters is the person in interest. Below it, the quill started to sketch an image of a young girl dressed in long, silken robes glittering silver, with stardust in her hair. Her portrait is surrounded by the sun and moon, with a number of stars clustering around her.

You snort. **She** would hate to see this.

You turn the page.

As with all personal histories, the record starts at her birth. But you aren’t interested in small details… at least, not for now.

You pick up the book and flip an approximate number of pages before placing the quill in the middle of the page. The scritch-scratch of writing calms your anticipation somewhat as you lean over the page, eager.

‘Princess, Thief, Minstrel.’ You read aloud, eyes moving across the page as the quill finishes the header. ‘As with most days of importance, it all started with a dream…’

[Cover Source: PuffCorn, TTS Amino]


	2. I: It All Starts With A Dream...

**_CRASH! BOOM!_ **

_ Despite the cacophony of battle filling the air and explosions rocking the earth, she continued to run. The air tasted like smoke, and the rancid stench of burning flesh stung her nose. Her heart beat faster than she could ever run and her lungs felt like they had shrivelled up. Yet, she kept running.  _

_ Her eyes were set upon the light in the distance, glimmering, golden. It’s like her sister said. Follow the star. If she made it, she’d be safe. Safe from the war, from duty, from everything. Her legs pumped harder, faster, as she was motivated by her sister’s words. She ran past the blazes. Past the crawling soldiers. Past the sobbing children. Past the catatonic blocking  _ **_their_ ** _ path of destruction. _

_ It doesn’t matter where she went, as long as she followed that light. _

_ She thrust out her hand towards her glimmer of hope, desperation welling up within her. As if in response, wisps of light started to materialise, curling around her fingers individually. The closer she got to the light, the wisps felt more solid. They grew thicker and twisted around her hand, and soon enough, she found herself grasping at impossibly long strands of glowing, golden hair as the ground beneath her sloped upward. _

_ She didn’t know at what point she began to scale a tall stone tower with a makeshift rope of hair, however, she didn’t question it. Hope was her driving force. Whatever she was doing, however strange, was working, because the heat started to fade from her back.  _

_ Launching herself through the window, she slowed to a roll, spung to her feet and looked up. The long, golden locks led to a woman, whose back was turned to her. The woman was standing in the middle of what appeared like a palace square. _

_ It was… peaceful. _

_ The sounds of war had faded, instead replaced by the woman’s light and airy voice humming a familiar tune. She found herself moving forward, reaching forward to touch the woman’s shoulder… _

_ ‘NO!’ _

_ Something sharp and black shot up between them, blocking the woman from view. The earth ruptured and the castle crumbled into a house in shambles. Screams of terror filled the air once more as black, jagged rocks pierced the building, sending rubble sailing through the air.  _

_ Her heart dropped as the heat started bearing down on her once more. _

_ A large, hulking figure emerged from the house, emitting a metallic shriek.  _

_ A scream, one brimming with rage and sorrow ripped through the air. _

_ ‘YOU!’ _

_ All of a sudden, it charged towards her. She could only stand still in shock. _

_ No matter how far she ran, how much she hid… _

_ She could never be free from her destiny. _

_ ‘RAFINA!’ _

‘-ina! RAFINA!’

‘Alright, alright! I’m up!’ Rafina groaned, shifting slightly as she raised her arms to stretch. She forced her eyes open, smacking her lips.  _ Ugh, morning breath. _ She winced, sitting up from her tree branch and peering downward. A particularly stern and rigid man in uniform stood at the foot of her tree, face set in a frown as he directed a glare at her. She frowned back. ‘What?’

‘What?’ The man scowled. ‘What do you mean, “What”?! You’re late for your job!’

Rafina leaned back against the tree trunk. ‘Which is?’

‘Delivery!’ With a heavy THUMP Rafina was shaken from her branch, caught mid-fall by the teeth of a particular steed. ‘I see your mind isn’t together yet. Maybe taking old Prometheus would help you clear your mind.’ The smug edge to his voice was enough to shake her from her post-nightmare stupor. 

‘What?’ Rafina craned her head upwards to meet the eyes of who her mind registered was the Captain of the Guards, and the horse who had enough strength to hold her by his teeth was the best soldier in the royal guard, Maximus. Both of them looked at her with eyebrows raised in self-satisfied grins that spelled trouble for her. ‘Whoa, hey, Cap, listen. I’m sorry for staying up late last night performing! The crowd really wanted an encore and-’

‘The only reason you’re not in the stables right now is because you’re friends with my daughter.’ The Captain suddenly leaned in, his voice low. ‘Remember, you’re working off the damages caused in Old Corona by your other friend.’

Rafina frowned. ‘Listen, it’s not his fault that Reginald didn’t listen to his warnings.’ The Captain sighed heavily and rubbed his temples.

‘At least Reginald has made up for damages by assisting in reconstruction. You should start working for it, too.’ The Captain’s voice had softened, becoming more sympathetic. Max took this as a sign to let Rafina down, dropping her gently.

Rafina landed on her feet, arms crossed. ‘You know that’s not what I have a problem with.’ The Captain didn’t answer. ‘Just because it involved his inventions, it’s always his fault.’

Wordlessly, the Captain took a wooden box from a pouch strapped to Maximus and handed it over to Rafina. It was weighty, most probably containing bottles of wine. ‘Fortunately, you have only one delivery today.’ The Captain started. ‘Take this to the Snuggly Duckling. Luckily for you, Prometheus is in the old stables today. Make sure to report any suspicious activity you see there.’

‘Sure.’

‘And Rafina? Please stop sleeping in random places. You’re a minstrel, not a highly-trained soldier. It’s dangerous.’ With that, the Captain mounted Maximus and, with a parting nod, took off through the town square. Rafina sighed and patted the tree behind her.

‘Thanks for the shelter, town square tree.’

Strapping on the lute she hid in the nearby bushes, she set off.

\---

The capital of the Kingdom of Corona, most commonly referred to simply as Corona, is a picturesque town based on an island connected to the mainland by bridge. The Kingdom’s insignia, a fourteen-rayed sun, is often draped about its buildings, proving the citizens to be one of the most nationalistic people she’s ever encountered.

The buildings are often painted with bright colors and pastels to embody the warmth and brightness that the Kingdom stood for, contrary to their King’s actions for the past decade.

Rafina found herself feeling relieved that she wasn’t in league with criminals anymore-- or well, when it concerns crime, at least. Her target for delivery, The Snuggly Duckling, was a pub that criminals dubbed “the pub thugs” usually frequented, heck, she was sure that some of them lived there. Despite their fearsome reputations, Rafina managed to befriend the criminals due to a succession of events which is another story, for now.

The old stables were located close to the town’s edge. Horses kept there were usually due to deliveries or for rest, in which the rider, usually from out of town, would let their steed recover whilst they rode another horse through the capital if need be. In Prometheus’s case?

Rafina approached the old stables, swinging open a particularly creaky door. Lo and behold, an old donkey the color of muddied water stood with a slouched posture, His saddle was askew, the pouch strapped to it wide open. Prometheus craned his head upward, sending her a lazy, crooked smile.

Prometheus was an old deliverer donkey that needed his share of morning walks. He was trusted to go on walks by himself as he was well-trained by his owner. Rafina squatted down, stroking the donkey’s head. ‘Oh dear old Prometheus, they don’t appreciate you enough.’ She cooed. ‘Still working past your golden age. How are you still alive? What’s your secret?’

Prometheus responded by an affectionate nuzzle. Well, he  _ was _ once called a lucky donkey.

‘Welp, time for us to make a delivery, I guess.’ Rafina fixed the saddle, tucking the box into the pouch. ‘What’s this?’ Tucked within the pouch was a crumpled purple handkerchief, embroidered with the golden sun of Corona. She pulled it out, smoothing its creases. ‘Whoever left this behind must have prepared this for tomorrow, huh?’ 

The Lost Princess’s birthday. One of the most important and widely-celebrated events in Corona. A faint prickle at the back of her head made her frown at the symbol. The image of something golden flashed within her mind’s eye.  _ What’s with me today? _ Rafina stuffed the handkerchief in her sleeve before she mounted Prometheus, tucking the box into the pouch. ‘Yip, yip.’

As expected, the ride there was slower than taking a fit horse like Maximus. However, it was these small, slow moments in between the excitement that Rafina enjoyed with her friends. Her thoughts started to wander, faint memories of her dream flickering into her mind.

All she could really remember was the fear and desperation she felt, as well as the heat of the flames that haunted her from her past. It wasn’t like she was scared of fire, no, it’s the event that they had sprung from, and who caused them. The second part of her dream had been wiped from her brain, though she does remember feeling… odd. 

Unable to shake her discomfort, Rafina set her lute on her lap and started to play. Prometheus gave a grunt of approval at her chosen tune. It was unfamiliar, yet familiar to her, as if she heard it before, buried deep in her memories. Within her dreams,  _ those _ dreams. Her mind began to throb again. Her nonsensical, horrid, exhausting dreams.

Rafina paused her playing, slipping the handkerchief from her sleeve and raising it above her. ‘What is it?’ She murmured, squinting at the Coronan symbol. ‘What are you trying to tell me?’

Of course, no one was there to give her an answer.

No one ever was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enter: Rafina! Here is the OC MC, I guess! So the first few chapters cover the Tangled Movie. I guess here is a good time to warn you that this is also sorta a songfic? Curse my Disney-song-loving self, huh? By songfic, I mean including certain songs, such as "I've Got A Dream" in the fic with some narration of action. I mean, I'd gladly draw an animatic, but I don't have the resources nor skills nor time to do so. :(  
> Anway, thanks for reading!


	3. Little Town, It's A Quiet Village

**Varian’s morning routine was nothing special.**

The first step was waking up and finding that he fell asleep in some of the strangest places, usually around any machinery or chemicals that he had been working with the night before. His father and Rafina would often chastise him about staying up so late to the point of passing out, but here he was, passed out on his lab desk, as stubborn as ever.

Judging by the arrangement of beakers around him compared to the last time he was conscious, Quirin had been busy that morning and Rafina probably slept someplace else (also a worrisome habit, which Varian would bring up every time she talks about  _ his _ inconvenient sleeping places). 

After properly cleaning up his workspace, came step two: the most important meal of the day… Breakfast! Usually in the form of ham sandwiches when he was the one preparing it. It’s great because it’s quick, delicious, and he doesn’t have to waste time at the dinner table.

The third step: check the pest traps. Usually, despite being caught a few times, a particular racoon would come by, swiping as much as he can from their apple trees. The pesky little thing was tricky, sometimes turning to look at Varian when it succeeded and letting out a chitter of laughter whilst simultaneously blowing a raspberry.

He *really* didn’t like that raccoon.

This simple, three step routine is what Varian had developed over the years due to his father’s busy schedule and how accustomed he’d become to spending much of his time alone. At least, up until four years ago. But these sorts of days still come by and he’s more than prepared for it.

However, in the process of step two, Varian noticed that the table wasn’t as bare as it always was. A half-finished mug of tea sat on a slip of paper. Checking the pantry revealed what it was for. In Quirin’s haste, he left behind a shopping list!

Most of the items were only available at the town market. On one hand, the townspeople weren’t that different to the villagers when it came to their general opinion on him, his experiments and his apparent “sorcery”. On the other hand… 

Brightening at the opportunity to help his father, Varian pocketed the list, his eyes falling upon the bag slumped atop the table. Rafina wouldn’t mind if he borrowed it for a while, right? But as soon as he held it, he found that inside the bag was an adventure novel, the cover slightly worn from age. 

‘Isn’t this due today?’ Rafina’s probably busy since she didn’t stop by that morning. He supposed that he would return it to the bookkeeper during his shopping trip. His lips quirked up slightly at this thought before he finished his breakfast, shook his fist at the raccoon, and made his way over to the capital of Corona.

\---

The distance between the Coronan Capital and the village of Old Corona was something that’s been brought up before to Quirin. There have been fears that the distance between them may cause some communication problems in the future, such as an important announcement from the King and Queen reaching the villagers too late, or a catastrophic event of great magnitude may occur at the village and the news may reach the capital too late, leading to their eventual destruction.

The main point is fear of isolation from the Kingdom, as the Capital held more power than their small village in more ways than one. Quirin dismissed these fears by reassuring them that he wouldn’t allow such a thing to happen. Besides, a much smaller village closer to the walls had been faring well despite minimal interaction with the Capital. They should be fine, right?

Varian, however, found a plus side to the long trip between the two locations. It was nice and peaceful, without the heavy weight of the usual judgemental stare upon his back. Despite being somewhat used to it, it could still dishearten him. That’s why he had to steel himself as he approached the Capital’s edge. 

It was just a few minutes before the usual busy bustle of the townsfolk. In the wake of a more recent incident, Varian was sure that the “talking” would be especially heavy today. He took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly to ease his nerves. ‘It’ll be fine,’ he muttered to himself. ‘It’s gonna be fine. It’ll be just like any other day.’ Gripping the bag’s straps, he started to move forward.

‘ _Little town, it’s a quiet village_ ,’ Varian sighed, walking down a paved path lined with houses and shops. ‘ _Ev’ry day, like the one before._ ’ He tilted his chin upwards, gaze fixed on the townhouses’s outline against the sky. ‘ _Little town, full of little people… waking up to say-_ ’

‘ _ Guten tag! _ ’ 

As if on cue, the window to Varian’s right flew open, a cheerful old man popping his head out. 

‘ _ Guten tag! _ ’ Another person called out, her door swinging open. Soon enough, more and more windows and doors followed suit as people called out their morning greetings.

‘ _ Moin! Moin! Moin! _ ’

The sun fixed itself overhead as the townsfolk rushed about, opening their shops and setting plans in motion for a particularly important event that would happen the day after. One particular man started making his rounds with a tray of freshly baked bread, his purse already clinking with coins.

‘ _ There goes the baker with his tray, like always _ ,’ Varian watched as the man made his way back to his shop. ‘ _ The same old bread and rolls to sell. _ ’ Buying bread from one of the people affected by the mishap? It’s fine, he could do that. ‘ _ Ev’ry morning just the same, since the morning that we came _ ,’ Varian walked towards the baker who had stopped by his shop. ‘ _ To this poor provincial town- _ '

‘Oh it’s Varian.’ The baker spoke with a clipped tone, lips curled into a frown. Varian let out a nervous laugh.

‘Good morning, sir.’ He greeted politely. The baker lowered his tray, letting Varian point out the rolls he needed.

‘What magic are you up to?’ The baker eyed Varian’s bag suspiciously. After all, one of his most prominent memories of the boy was an incident involving a bag. 

‘Well, it’s alchemy, actually,’ Varian couldn’t help but reply. ‘I’m sorry about last time! It’s meant to help your delivery-’

‘That’s nice.’ The baker dismissed before turning to shout into the shop. ‘Marie! The baguettes! Hurry up!’

Shoulders sagging, Varian shoved his purchases into his bag and moved on. Unbeknownst to him, he caught the attention of some passersby.

‘ _Look there he goes, that boy is strange, no question,_ ’ The townsfolk watched as Varian walked past them and towards a flower stall. ‘ _Dazed and distracted can’t you see?_ ’ 

A vase of sagging flowers had caught Varian’s eyel. Thinking quickly, he slipped a vial from his bag and poured its contents in. Immediately, the flowers straightened, regaining its healthy glow. Content, Varian walked away, missing the part where the stalks started to ooze.

‘ _ Never part of any crowd _ ,’ A woman remarked.

‘’ _ Cause his head’s up on some cloud. _ ’ The man next to her huffed.

‘ _ No denying he’s a funny boy to me. _ ’ The group agreed, shaking their heads.

Meanwhile, the town market grew busier by the minute.

‘ _ Moin! _ ’

‘ _ Guten tag! _ ’

‘ _ How is your fam'ly? _ ’

‘ _ Moin! _ ’

‘ _ Guten tag! _ ’

‘ _ How is your wife? _ ’

‘ _ I need six eggs! _ ’

‘ _ That's too expensive! _ ’

The same old greetings and pleasantries and patterns. If there’s anything Varian had come to learn during his fourteen years in Corona, it’s that the townsfolk aren’t as open-minded as you may think. Change and the unknown can be challenging for them. Varian wondered what they would do if the sun didn’t rise one day.

‘ _ There must be more than this provincial life. _ ’ Varian murmured to himself. The jingle of a familiar bell drew his attention towards an old man struggling at his shop’s door with his arms full of two boxes. Without hesitation, Varian rushed over to his side, taking the larger box.

‘Ah, Varian!’ The man was Clay Reed the bookkeeper, a balding old man with a large white moustache. 

‘Good morning! I’m returning the book ‘Fina borrowed.’ Varian held the door open. Mr Reed smiled at him kindly as thanks, stepping into his shop as Varian held the door open.

‘Finished already?’

‘Oh, she couldn't put it down.’ Varian chuckled as they set down the boxes on the table. ‘Have you got anything new?’ He patted the boxes.

‘Not since yesterday.’ Mr Reed opened a box to reveal extra copies of already shelved books. They looked old and dusty, though not the particular genre that Rafina usually read through.

Varian shrugged to himself. ‘Guess she’ll have to waiiiiiii-t.’ His hands shot out, grasping the sides of a leatherbound book nestled in one of the boxes. He blew the dust off of its cover, eyes widening at the golden lettering. ‘Isn’t this-’

‘“The Encyclopedia of-”’

‘“-Ancient Technological Advancements”? I’ve always wanted to read Lord Demanitus’ work-!’

‘If you like it all that much, it's yours!’ Mr Reed smiled warmly as he led Varian out. Varian looked up at the old man in awe. A trio of nosy young men watching their exchange from the bookshop window quickly spun around, eyes averted as their subject of interest stopped at the doorway.

‘But sir!’ Varian protested.

‘I insist.’

‘Well thank you. Thank you very much!’ With a pep in his step, Varian wasted no time cracking the book open and looking over its pages with eager eyes. He only spared a quick glance at the trio before his eyes returned to his book. One of the young men huffed as he handed his friend a few coins, the other snickering about the lost bet.

‘ _Look there he goes, that boy is so peculiar._ ’ They wrinkled their noses at his choice of book. ‘ _I wonder if he's feeling well?_ ’

Mr Reed approached the young men from his window, blowing heavy dust off of a book. The trio started to cough, halting their condescending chatter. Mr Reed smiled to himself and shut his window. However, he couldn’t stop the rest of the town.

‘ _ With a sharp gleam in his eye. _ ’

Varian looked up from his book in time to avoid walking into a stream of dogs rushing past, barking madly.

‘ _ His experiments awry. _ ’

Before he can even think about why they were so agitated, a familiar raccoon scampered up onto his shoulder, panting. As if sensing his glower, the raccoon chittered nervously, placing a paw onto the page he was reading, as if pointing at the diagram drawn upon it. Deflection at its finest.

‘ _ A puzzle, has he cast us under his spell. _ ’

‘ _Oh,_ ’ Varian arched a brow, deciding to humor it. ‘ _Isn't this amazing?_ ’ He lifted the book to the raccoon’s height so it could see it better. ‘ _The wondrous world of machinery!_ ’ The raccoon chittered excitedly, curious eyes scanning the page. Even if it was a pest, it seemed quite intelligent. Varian grinned. ‘ _Now, there’s no time for lazing! I’m brimming with ideas and possibilities!_ ’

All of a sudden, the sound of barking filled the air once more, frightening the raccoon. It leapt onto Varian’s head, startling him enough to drop his book. As it scrambled to escape, its claws caught onto Varian’s goggles, loosening the straps. While it leapt to safety, Varian was left to stumble and struggle with his goggle straps. The dogs rushed past, knocking him off balance and into a man.

Varian quickly straightened, shooting the man an apologetic grin, faltering when the man gave him a glare before storming off. Sighing, he picked up his book and started fixing his goggles.

In the second-story of the barber’s he stood by, a customer peered over at him. ‘ _ Now it's no wonder “variable”’s what his name means. _ ’ She leaned forward unexpectedly as the barber snipped at her hair. The barber’s eyes widened at the chunk in her hand. ‘ _ Compared to us, he’s a variant! _ ’ When she turned to face him, the barber hid his hand behind his back with a grin.

‘ _ And although he’s just a lad, I have heard he’s rather mad. _ ’ He crowed. Outside, Varian started moving, nose buried in his book once more. The barber and his customer shared a look. ‘ _ Very diff'rent from the rest of us. _ ’ __

_ ‘He's nothing like the rest of us! Diff'rent from the rest of us: Varian! _ ’

Meanwhile, one of the royal guards had his arms spread out in front of a particularly difficult man. Dressed head to toe in black rags with a hood over his face, the guard couldn’t ignore the dangerous vibes the stranger was giving. The fact that he seemed to be searching for someone with the intention of passing something along was highly concerning.

‘Well I’m sorry I couldn’t help you sir!’ The guard sighed heavily. ‘You claim to be here on important business but-!’ 

The shady man’s scowl melted as he looked over the guard’s shoulder. ‘That boy.’ 

Risking a quick glance behind him, his eyes set upon a familiar child as he passed by nonchalantly. ‘You’re associated with Quirin’s son? Then my gut feeling is right!’

Shady growled, eyes narrowing on the boy. ‘Quiet, cretin! His bag has got the brat’s symbol-’ Something large and dressed in brown stepped in his vision, blocking his line of sight. He lifted his eyes to see the face of an older man, the smile plastered on his face failing to reach his eyes.

‘Quirin!’ Shady noticed the guard stiffen as he raised his hand into a small salute.

‘Hello, may I help you?’ The big man spoke in a kind voice with a warning undertone. Although his clothes do not exactly match the quality of the town citizens, he still held authority. Was he perhaps the town leader?

Shady relaxed his expression. ‘I want no trouble sir. I was just about to leave.’ With that he scurried off. Quirin lay a hand on the guard’s shoulder, eyes focused worriedly on his son’s figure as he weaved in and out of the crowd.

‘Varian.’ Quirin murmured before turning to the guard. ‘Why does he want to see my son?’

The guard scoffed. ‘Bad things, prolly-’

‘Keep an eye on him.’ Quirin cut him off, before gesturing to the suspicious man as he turned the corner and into an alleyway. ‘We must ensure the town’s safe.’

The guard saluted. ‘Sir, yes sir!’

Quirin turned to the crowds once more, eyes focusing on his son’s back as he bargained at a stall. A small smile curled upon his lips, his eyes softening. ‘ _ Right from the moment when I met him, saw him, I knew his brilliance even then _ .’ Quirin let out a sad chuckle, shoulders sagging a fraction. ‘ _ Though I’m not around a lot, I do give him lots of thought. _ ’ He turned on his heel, sparing Varian one last glance before he started towards where he was meant to be. ‘ _ He’s my son who brings me joy and pride, Varian. _ ’ __

‘ _ Look there he goes, isn't he scary? _ ’ A group of kids chorused, watching Varian with nervous energy. All but one boy in a checkerboard hat. ‘ _ Wizard Varian. They say he’s cruel! _ ’ They pressed their hands against their chests and foreheads. Checkers frowned at his friends. ‘ _ Be still my heart I'm hardly breathing! He's mysterious, dark and scheming- _ ’

‘AND COOL!’ Checkers piped up loudly, making his friends jump. Nearby, their mothers glanced at them. Sharing a look, they beckoned their children closer, wary of the unsettling man slinking past, eyes set on an oblivious alchemist.

‘ _ Moin! _ ’ A man greeted.

‘ _ Pardon. _ ’ Shady ducked under his arm, attempting to avoid as many annoyingly sunny citizens as he can.

‘ _ Good day. _ ’

‘ _ Na klar! _ ’

‘ _ You call this bacon? _ ’ A disgruntled woman waved her arm, the fish in her grasp almost slapping him. 

Shady stepped to the side- ‘ _ What lovely grapes! _ ’- only to be met with one of the many clusters of grapes spilling from a vendor’s basket. Shoving the vendor away, he narrowed his gaze on his target’s back amongst the sea of shoppers.

‘ _ Some cheese. _ ’ A mousy man ordered.

‘ _ Ten yards! _ ’ A lady cooed.

‘ _ One pound. _ ’ The mousy man patted his tummy.

‘ _ 'Scuse me! _ ’ Shady shoved the mousy man and lady to the side, gritting his teeth.

‘ _ I'll get the knife. _ ’ The cheese vendor spoke with bad timing.

Shady increased his pace. ‘ _ Don’t let him through! _ ’ He growled fruitlessly. Whilst the citizens crowded him, it seemed as though they steered clear of the kid. Is it out of respect for his father? Sick of the crowd, he slipped into an alleyway, climbing up the rooftops.

‘ _ That boy - _ ’

‘ _ He’s here - _ ’

‘ _ A creep! _ ’

‘ _ A threat! _ ’

‘ _ He’ll overhear you. _ ’

‘ _ Well, maybe so-! _ ’

‘ _ Can’t they see I’ve got nothing to hide! _ ’ Varian spoke with a tone of defeat and desperation, arms spread out to punctuate his cry.

‘ _ Seems I’m meeting their leader’s joy and pride! _ ’ Shady declared, eyes finally set on the boy.

‘ _ Look there he goes, that boy is strange but special _ .’ The townsfolk spared Varian a glance.  _ ‘A most peculiar young man! _ ’ __

‘ _ It's a pity and a sin. _ ’ The bookkeeper sighed. __

‘ _ He doesn't quite fit in. _ ’ Checkers crossed his arms. __

_ 'Cause he really is a puzzling boy. Intriguing but a puzzling boy. He really is a peculiar boy that Varian! _ ’

‘ _ Guten tag! _ ’

‘ _ Guten tag!’ _

_ ‘Moin! Moin! Moin!’ _

A heavy weight clamped onto Varian’s shoulder. ‘ _ Moin. _ ’ Varian spun around, eyes wide with alarm.

WHACK!


	4. III: Your Finest Table, Please!

**The last thing you want to do when encountering a suspicious, possibly dangerous person is to anger them.**

The thought passed through Varian’s mind in seconds as he stood back, eyes wide and set upon the shady-looking man holding the side of his face. Varian didn’t think he’d hit him *that* hard, but the redness of the man’s cheek was bold, angry and unmistakable. The man’s expression was blank, his eyes cold as he looked down at the book in the young alchemist’s hand.

‘I’m so sorry!’ Varian blurted, slipping his book back into his bag. ‘I didn’t mean to hit you, I-’

‘Shut it. I’m running out of time.’ The shady man hissed. ‘That symbol. Are you in league with her?’

Varian followed the man’s gaze to the bag. Stitched upon its front was the symbol of a small white circle with a pair of fiery red wings. What was he talking about? Was Rafina involved with him? Wariness filling him, his grip on the bag strap tightened as he tilted his chin upward.

‘I know the owner, yes.’ Varian stared straight into the shady man’s dark eyes, squaring his shoulders and puffing out his chest despite the tremble in his voice. The shady man lifted a brow.

‘Even if you didn’t, she could hunt ya down anyway.’

His voice held a tone of begrudging/reluctant respect. Varian felt himself falter slightly. He crossed his arms. ‘Uh, so, how do *you* know her?’

‘The same way the others know her,’ the shady man answered simply. ‘Except I’m one of the select few who know her true identity.’ He glanced at Varian out of the corner of his eye before letting out a harsh laugh. ‘And looks like you do too. I can’t believe corruption exists in the righteous Corona. And in the town leader’s own son!’ 

Varian’s lips curved downwards. True identity? Corruption? His stomach did a flip as his brow furrowed. The shady man let out one final heave of laughter before he drew a roll of paper out from his raggedy sleeve. He quickly thrust it into Varian’s hands.

‘Pass it on, will ya?’ The shady man grinned. ‘I wonder how she’d manage to loop you in?’

Varian felt his throat tighten as the stranger towered over him. A sharp, dark look shone in his eyes as he scrutinized the alchemist. Memorising. Before any more can be said, a loud, ‘Hey, you!’ snapped both from the tense moment, the shady man immediately darting towards an alleyway. The owner of the voice, a royal guard, finally pushed himself out of the crowd, doubling over.

Varian found himself quickly stuffing the roll of paper into his bag as the guard collected his bearings and approached him. As per usual, he looked upon the young alchemist with wariness as he spoke. ‘What did that guy talk to you about?’

‘Nothing really. He was asking for directions.’

‘To where?’

‘The, uh, royal palace?’ Varian winced internally for the hitch in his voice. The guard’s eyes shot wide open with alarm.

‘The royal palace?! It’s bad enough those three thieves are on the loose…!’ He paused. ‘But… We could see the palace from here.’

‘Yeah, stupid, amiright?’ Chuckling nervously, Varian waved his hand about. ‘But! I managed to draw him away from the palace by giving him the wrong directions! You saw where he took off, right?’

The guard nodded slowly. ‘Right…’

Varian grinned. ‘Welp! Now that that’s over and done with, I can go now, right?’

‘I suppose so…’

‘Great!’ Letting out another bout of forced laughter, Varian quickly turned on his heel and set into taking quick strides. He couldn’t help but scan his surroundings for the shady man before setting down the road towards Old Corona. Left alone in silence once more, his thoughts drifted towards his peculiar interaction with the stranger.

Varian wasn’t one to quickly make assumptions on others considering his own experiences, however, that man definitely spelled trouble. The fact that there apparently were three criminals on the loose at the same time did nothing to quell the unease that sat on his shoulders. Not only that, but the implication of his words sounded just as troubling.

He could only come to one conclusion.

Pausing in his stride, Varian drew his hand up and over his mouth. A gesture that’s become all too common amongst many since four years ago. 

‘Rafina…’ His voice came out low, wondering if he could send out a strong, telepathic message to the girl in question. ‘Please don’t do anything stupid.’

\---

‘Don’t worry I’m not gonna do anything stupid.’ Rafina assured Prometheus, patting his side. The old donkey rolled his eyes and grunted in response, a clear display of pure and *incredibly* insulting lack of faith. Rafina let out a mock huff of offense, before she straightened, her eyes set upon the tavern before her.

‘And what’s this? It looks like the finish line! Do you hear that? The crowd is cheering for Prometheus!’

‘Yeah, you can do it, Keydonk!’ Shorty slurred, pumping his fist in support. Attila and Big Nose clap and cheer from beside him, watching the old donkey gradually make his way towards them, their minstrel friend on his back.

Hands cupped around her mouth to mimic a speaking trumpet, Rafina continued, ‘Prometheus appreciates your cheering, folks! It seems that he’s starting to speed up once more!’

‘Prometheus! Prometheus! Prometheus!’

‘And with the chanting of the crowd, Prometheus, the legendary donkey, crosses the finish line!’ Rafina finished, Shorty, Attila and Big Nose whooping as the donkey stopped just in front of the pub door, a tired but proud smile on his muzzle. ‘This calls for a victory stunt, eh Promy?’ She stood up on the donkey’s uneven back. ‘Here I come, triple cartwheels-’

Fortunately, Attila lifted Rafina off of the donkey and onto solid ground. 

As Big Nose fed Prometheus an apple, Rafina handed Attila their package.

‘Thanks again, Rafina.’ Attila patted her head gently, careful not to mess it up. 

‘No prob. Glad to see that you’re purchasing instead of robbing. What’s the special occasion?’

‘Nothing much.’ Attila shrugged. ‘Just decided we’ll do a little something for tomorrow. Lost Princess’s birthday and all that. Plus, the lanterns are quite pretty.’

Rafina’s eyes brightened. ‘I’m holding you to your word!’ She exclaimed as Attila held open the door for her. ‘You guys aren’t gonna regret it!’

‘I hope not.’ Big Nose piped up. ‘It took a lot of effort to convince everyone.’ He gestured towards the legally-bought package of wine. Rafina let out a small chortle, feeling her heart warm a little. ‘How about joining us tomorrow? It may be no festival, but the crazy shenanigans are still there!’

Rafina sent him an apologetic look. ‘Sorry Biggie, I made a special promise to a special someone yesterday.’ She couldn’t stop herself from smiling at the memory, a spring in her step. ‘And well, everyone knows you absolutely can’t break a pinky promise! You understand, right?’

The pub’s local romantic smiled fondly, before he stepped forward. ‘Right.’ Sharing a look of understanding, the both of them finally entered the Snuggly Duckling.

The Snuggly Duckling was as loud and lively as ever, full with big and brutish men, drinking and yapping merrily away. Rafina ran and leapt onto the bar top before yelling at the top of her lungs, ‘How is everyone today?’

The thugs responded with a cacophony of “good”s and “murderous”s as well as slammed tavern mugs and overturned tables. Rafina nodded in satisfaction at their enthusiasm. To any outsider, it would have been a bizarre sight of a small, young girl seemingly at ease despite being surrounded by the dreadful criminals twice her size. Because of this, Rafina kept their friendship a secret. Mostly.

To her, the Snuggly Duckling is a tavern that accommodated criminals who have committed many horrendous crimes in their youth, all who have grown weary over the years and resorted to petty crimes to live a life as peaceful as they can. Although she had not not done anything as horrible as some of the pub thugs, she could understand the desire for a life of peace where you can chase your dreams.

Rafina settled herself upon a bar stool as the thugs returned to what they were doing before her arrival. She leaned upon the counter, listening as Hook Hand recounted his misadventures from his youth to Greno and Vladimir. ‘-and so I high-tailed outta there with the bejeweled egg tucked safely away in my bag.’

‘Yeah? Where is it now?’

‘Dunno. After bumping into some snivelly wimp of a thief, it was gone.’ Hook Hand let out a sigh of frustration at the memory. ‘Slippery as an eel, he was!’ 

Rafina smiled, sliding into the group closer. ‘Speaking of thievery, have you got any news on-’

‘No.’ Came Hook Hand’s quick, curt reply. Rafina rose a brow.

‘What? I didn't even finish my sentence!’

‘It's obvious that you're talking about that Rider guy with the funny nose.’

‘Wh- n- it's really not that obvious.’

‘You've been asking about him ever since Bruiser told you about the robberies that he pulled close to Corona.’ Hook Hand gave her the side-eye. ‘What? You part of his adoring entourage?’

Rafina waved her hand dismissively, lips curled softly into a wistful smile. ‘Hah, no. It's just... nothing important. I just figured that it's been a while since he's come here. I thought that after so many years, he'd swing by at least once.’ 

Rafina trailed off, her eyes softening into a distant look. Hook Hand took notice of her odd habit. He let out a silent huff of air through his nose and turned to make conversation with someone else. 

Rafina had this habit of spacing out, the exact triggers of this behavior they don’t quite know. But whenever it happens, her countenance would become blank, her eyes holding some sort of sadness beneath her unfocused look. The people around her would often be silent during these brief periods, allowing her to recollect herself. They didn’t know if this was a cause for concern, or another quirk of the daydreaming minstrel.

‘By the way, Greno,’ Rafina finally spoke up. ‘Can I please have some brunch? Woke up in a tree again and was scolded by the Captain.’

‘At least you didn’t wake up in prison.’ Hook Hand snorted. Rafina let out a short chuckle, hand slipping into her pockets and closing around thin air. Startled, she patted herself down. Greno shot her a sympathetic look.

‘You know, you don’t always have to pay for your meals here.’

‘Nonsense! I can support myself!’ Rafina huffed, patting herself down once more. ‘Maybe I dropped it somewhere.’

‘More like you got pick-pocketed.’ Greno snickered, taking his hand out from behind his back, revealing a purple pouch. ‘Seriously, you let your guard down around us too easy. We’re still thugs you know?’

‘Yeah, thugs who comfort wayward eleven year olds and sing ballads about following your dreams.’ Rafina chuckled, snatching her purse from his grasp before Greno can even pull his hand away. ‘I trust you guys.’ Looking down at her purse, she missed the small smiles that her companions gave her. ‘Okay, now about brunch-’

BAM!

The doors slammed open behind her, light streaming in from the doorway. Two long shadows were cast upon her, accompanied by a loud, overly-eager voice, one that made her breath hitch.

‘Garcon, your finest table, please!’

**Word Count: 1 831**


	5. IV: I've Got A Dream!

##  **IV**

**All Flynn wanted was to live a rich life without a care in the world.**

Was that too much to ask for? And now, here he was, forced to guide some strange, sheltered girl (named Rapunzel- who names their kid after lettuce?) to the Kingdom whose guards he had spent his morning running from. What better way to show her around than to swing by the friendly old thug-filled pub?

‘Garcon, your finest table, please!’

Flynn’s grin widened as Rapunzel let out a sharp gasp. As expected, the pub was as musty, dim and filled to the brim with Corona’s favorite rascals and ruffians. Every head turned in their direction, expression either irate or maliciously grinning- there was no in between.

Flynn watched as Rapunzel’s eyes darted to and fro, from a rat-covered man bearing a viscous grin and a scowling thug with a wickedly-curved hook. The frog that was always perched on her shoulder shrank back into her hair as Rapunzel whipped out her frying pan. 

‘You smell that?’ Flynn placed his hands on Rapunzel’s shoulders, pushing her into the pub. ‘Take a deep breath through the nose. Really let that seep in.’ The thugs were playing their part well, towering over the both of them with a sharp glint in their eyes as he navigated them through the crowd. ‘What are you getting? Because to me, it’s part man smell, and the other part is *really* bad man smell- I don’t know why but overall it just smells like the color brown. Your thoughts?’

Flynn felt a little bad for scaring her, but the Princess’s crown was the key to his dreams. Bringing Rapunzel to the town would be like offering himself up to the King on a silver platter. He’d end up arrested, maybe with a nice post in the gallows reserved just for him. It would be better if she put it off for now. There’s always next year, right?

Flynn pushed aside the nagging feeling that there’s something more to her at the sound of her sudden outburst.

‘Stay away from her!’ Rapunzel cried out, pointing her pan at the hook-handed thug. ‘You ruffians!’ The thug bore his teeth with a snarl, brows furrowed deeply. The blonde’s own face was stern, eyes flashing with a sudden burst of courage as she used her own body to separate the rest of the room from… was that a real, actual child sitting with cutthroat criminals?

The young girl looked up at Rapunzel with a raised brow, seemingly sizing her up as she leaned back into her stool. She was dressed in the typical minstrel clothes, consisting of a shirt with sleeves that puffed at the shoulders, shorts and buckled cloth boots. If it weren’t for the telltale outfit Flynn would have mistaken her for a Coronan patriot, what with the purples and gold accenting her outfit.

Not only that, but the feathered hat that completed the whole ensemble was instead tucked into the waistband of her shorts, half-sticking out in such an uncomfortable-looking way.

Flynn resisted the urge to make a cutting remark about the kid's fashion sense, because at least the pub thugs had a running theme of disgusting and ugly. She just stuck out like a sore thumb for the wrong reasons.

However, he found his eyes lingering upon the lute strapped to her back, drifting over the fairly aged wood and the small nicks and scrapes upon its polished surface. The more recent looking painted triangles that surrounded its mouth like rays of sun, the scratch in the shape of a sword, the “E.F” engraved on its neck… 

Flynn shook his head. ‘Uh, Blondie, I don’t think that child’s in any particular trouble,’ He started, breath stuttering when the young girl’s head snapped towards him. Their eyes connected, hers locking onto him with such intensity that made him sweat a little. ‘Amber eyes.’ He murmured under his breath. You don’t see that shade everyday.

Rapunzel turned her head towards him. ‘Flynn! We can’t just leave her behind!’

‘Why not?’ The minstrel girl piped up, eyes wide and blinking up at her. Paired with the fact she spoke with a light and high-pitched voice, she appeared young and innocent. Rapunzel’s eyes softened, but before she could speak, Flynn cut in.

‘Yeah, why not? Look at her, she’s probably a regular. Kids could be and grow up as ruffians too, you know.’ Flynn adjusted his vest. ‘Exhibit A: moi.’ Rapunzel turned to see the young girl raising her hand, casually signalling the thug behind the bar for a drink. ‘Exhibit B: probably Little Miss Puppy Dog Eyes here.’ 

Flynn crossed his arms, peering down at the girl who took a sip from her tavern mug before raising it in the air as if she was dedicating a toast to him for his remark. ‘Hear, hear!’ She started chugging down her drink. 

Flynn looked at her pointedly. ‘That better not have any alcohol in it.’ 

‘Is she really not in any trouble?’ Rapunzel spoke with concern, bless her kind but naive heart. 

‘Hey, you don’t look so good Blondie.’ Flynn slipped a smile back onto his face, taking her by the shoulders and pushing her back towards the entrance once more. ‘Maybe we should get you home, and call it a day. Probably better off, this *is* a five star joint, after all, and if you can’t handle this place, well maybe you should be back in your tower.’

SLAM!

‘Is this you?’ A rather large and hefty man loomed over them, hand planted firmly upon the door he just slammed shut. He pointed towards a familiar WANTED poster nailed to the door. Apprehensively, Flynn lifted the man’s finger gingerly, revealing a large, bulbous nose.

‘Oh, now they’re just being mean.’

‘Ohohohoho, it’s him alright.’ The man with the hook hand slunk up behind them with a cruel grin. ‘Greno, go find some guards.’ He grabbed Flynn by his vest, thrusting his hook up under his chin. ‘That reward’s gonna buy me a new hook.’

Before Flynn could even attempt to worm his way out of his grasp, he felt himself flung into the arms of a thug that surprisingly smelt of muffins, before he was pulled into a crushing hug by the hefty man from before. Before he knew it, all the pub thugs were tugging and pulling at him as if he were a morsel of meat in the midst of a feeding frenzy of very large and very ugly wild mutts.

Rapunzel found herself being pushed to the fringe of the chaos, hair being trampled as the men scrambled to get their hands on her guide. Still very annoyingly zen, the minstrel girl watched with mild interest as the blonde managed to wrap her hair around a piece of overhanging wood, launching it at the hooked man’s head.

As soon as the wood collided with the thug, the yelling ceased as all eyes darted towards Rapunzel. ‘Put him down!’ She commanded, picking up her frying pan. ‘I don’t know where I am, and I need him to take me to see the lanterns because I’ve been *dreaming* about them my entire life. Find your humanity! Haven’t any of you ever had a *dream*?’

**_Dream._ **

At the sound of the word, the thugs’ expressions grew serious, the hefty thug hanging Flynn on a hook whilst the hooked one brandished an axe. He stomped over to Rapunzel. The blonde tensed, pushing her back against the barrels behind her as the hooked man stared her dead in the eye, before he looked to the side and spoke, ‘I had a dream, once.’ 

Without so much of a glance, he threw the axe to the side, its blade embedding itself above the head of an adult minstrel that had been obscured by the thugs’ bodies. Rapunzel eyed the ball and chain attached to his feet as he began to play his accordion.

Flynn cast a glance of disbelief at the hook-handed thug. He’s not gonna start singing, is he? As soon as words of song escaped the hook-handed thug’s mouth, his face fell. Yup, he’s gonna start singing. 

So there Flynn was, hanging by his vest whilst the starry-eyed blonde danced around within a pub filled with thugs, holding hands and singing songs about dreams. Oh the irony of being kept from fulfilling his own by the same woman who promoted the idea. Throughout the song, the minstrel girl from before had managed to slink her way over to him, having pulled a tambourine from who knows where that she was smacking now and then.

The girl leaned against his post, amber eyes glittering with mischief and her lips curled into a smug, lopsided smile. ‘Greetings, Flynnigan Rider.’ She spoke with an airy, teasing tone. ‘What brings you to our humble establishment?’

Flynn could feel a nostalgic sense of annoyance washing over him as he crossed his arms over his chest. ‘Buzz off, kid. Why don’t you go sing-song with all your thug buddies?’

‘Is that jealousy I hear?’ The girl laughed, though her comment made him raise an eyebrow. Noticing his confusion, she frowned. ‘Huh. So you really don’t remember me.’ Was this kid one of those people? One of those… fans who insert themselves into stories and eventually delude themselves into thinking they’re really friends with their idols?

It may be a bit of a stretch, but he encountered *enough* fans to consider this conclusion. 

‘I think I’d remember an irritating, brightly colored child if I’d ever met one.’ Flynn huffed.

‘Well, a few years can change you.’ The girl shrugged, letting out a sigh. She appeared genuinely disappointed. She may be a crazy fan, but she’s still a kid and Flynn couldn’t help but feel a bit bad. Before he can speak however, the whole congregation crowded around him, eyes burning holes into his very being.

‘What about you?’

‘I’m sorry, me?’ The thug named Attila took down Flynn as he spoke. ‘No, no, sorry boys. I don’t sing.’ There’s no way they can convince him to sing. His face didn’t change as he was suddenly surrounded by a circle of swords.

… 

Okay, there is a way they can convince him to sing.

The minstrel child smirked as she readied her tambourine. Flynn leapt up onto a table, springing into dance and song. ‘ _I’ve got dreams like you, no really! Just much less, touchy-feely. They mainly happen somewhere warm and sunny~!_ ’ He sidled up next to Vladimir, plucking a ceramic unicorn from his hand. ‘ _On an island that I own,_ ’ He plopped it onto a mound of salt. ‘ _Tanned and rested and alone!_ _Surrounded by enormous piles of money._ ’

Soon enough, Flynn found himself being launched into the air and into pub antics as the thugs and Rapunzel launched into song. The minstrel child bopped her head to the music and happily smacked the tambourine as their music swelled.

‘ _ Yes way deep down inside I got a dream! YEAH! _ ’

‘I got the guards!’

\--→ [Rafina’s POV] ←--

Rafina dropped her tambourine, quickly stepping backwards. The thugs stepped in front of her, shielding her from view. Dropping to her knees, she crawled towards the bar area, coming to a rest behind the counter. Not too long after, Flynn and his blonde companion dove behind it, too. Flynn seemed to almost grimace at the sight of her, but managed to hold it in.

Hook Hand stepped backwards, eyes darting over to Rafina. His eyes flicked to the side, communicating a silent message. Nodding, Rafina tugged at Flynn’s sleeve as Hook Hand stood watch. 

‘Follow me.’ She urged. Surprisingly, Flynn nodded immediately, gesturing for the blonde to follow her. Rafina’s brows were drawn together as she quickly grabbed a nearby lantern and box of matches.

‘I think you should also take this.’ Rapunzel whispered, picking up a fireplace poker resting beside her. Smiling in gratitude, the minstrel hooked it onto her belt before she reached backwards, hand discreetly pulling down what was disguised as a salt shaker. An obscure door opened, leading to an underground passageway. Rafina gestured for them to follow.

Rapunzel and Flynn shared a glance, a smile on the blonde’s lips as she crawled in after the girl, and a sigh escaped Flynn as he went in after them. From the bar, Hook Hand pulled up the salt shaker, a smile on his face.

‘Go, follow your dreams.’

Word Count: 1 952

A/N The amount of times I had to rewrite Eugene to Flynn smh. I feel like I’ve made Eugene more jerk-y because I’m writing him as “Flynn” and not “Eugene”, y’know? I don’t blame you if you don’t, I don’t know how to explain it haha.

Sorry for stuffing everything in this chapter, and if the pace felt a little off. I decided to make the Snuggly Duckling event one full chapter because… well, I guess I’m a bit too excited about starting chapters based on the series. I kinda want to finish the Movie arc. That’s sorta why I had the really bad “Rafina’s POV” cutaway at the end. I usually don’t do those things because they ruin the flow of the chapter, but hopefully this is the only occasion I need to use it!

Anywho, thanks for reading, and I’ll try to get the next chapter out soon, hopefully!


	6. V: ...why's he smiling at me?

**The underground network of tunnels that were built under the Kingdom of Corona were no secret to its citizens.**

Their locations, however, were, though no good-willing citizen bothered to attempt to unearth them. Due to the complex and mysterious nature of the tunnel system, attempting to navigate them without a particular artefact guaranteed certain death.

There are certain routes that have been proven safe to traverse through, though. One passageway was the one that lay underneath the Snuggly Duckling.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘So, what’s your name?’

‘Hm?’ Rafina hummed as Rapunzel inched closer to her, eyes glimmering in spite of the dim light. Walking a step and a half in front of them, Flynn perked up, lantern swinging idly in his hand.

‘We never quite got your name.’ The blonde chirped once more, and Rafina cast her gaze towards the ground. It was evened out, stable. Different to the others she’s explored. From the corner of her eye, she caught glimpses of Rapunzel’s bare feet meeting the rough ground without so much of a wince.

‘Name’s Rafina.’ The minstrel smiled. ‘Corona’s own street-performing minstrel. Pleasure to meet ya.’

‘Are you really a young ruffian in the making?’ Rapunzel questioned while the chameleon on her shoulder (named Pascal, apparently) leaned forward intently. Her eyes, doe-like and bright, resembled polished emeralds, gleaming with curiosity and wonder at everything they had witnessed- whether it be the pub thugs or the mysterious passageway they had entered.

She was beautiful, but strange. From how she attempted to protect her in her awkward way, to her incredibly, impossibly long golden tresses. The longer Rafina stared at them, the stronger the nagging feeling at the back of her mind grew.

‘No ma’am,’ Rafina responded with a chuckle. ‘But I did use to be involved in that industry a couple of years ago.’ Her eyes settled on Flynn, whose head was angled in a way that showed he was listening. ‘Decided it wasn’t for me, then travelled with an entertainment troupe for a while before splitting and ending up here.’

Rapunzel’s expression softened with sympathy. ‘Oh, that must have been tough, being so young.’

‘Well, I have the people who took me in to thank. They taught me useful tricks: the Drop and Stop, the Blaze, the Lock and Rock… all helped me survive through it.’ Rafina spoke fondly, a hand closing around the strap that held her lute to her back. ‘Other than that, music kept me going.’

‘They sound wonderful.’ Rapunzel remarked, sharing a smile with the girl. It may have been a small piece of information, but the blonde seemed happy to learn about her, anyway. She then turned her head towards Flynn. ‘So, Flynn, where are you from?’

Flynn tensed a bit at the mention of his origins, waving it off dismissively. ‘Whoa whoa Blondie, I don’t do *that* stuff. But I am becoming *very* interested in yours.’ As the two started their own conversation, Rafina hung back a bit to give them space. She could sense the connection both were building, regardless of how long they knew one another.

Rafina didn’t know what she was expecting, joining the pair, but she supposed being the third wheel wasn’t too far-fetched. Still, it would be better if she did something more productive. Adjusting her strap, the lute settled into her arms, and she begun to pluck its strings. 

Rapunzel seemed to freeze at the sound of the lute, whilst Flynn paused in his step to face Rafina. 

‘Huh. That’s a nice tune. What’s it called?’ Flynn asked.

Shrugging, Rafina continued to strum. ‘It’s something I heard in a dream. It seemed really important, for some reason.’ She noticed Rapunzel looking at her with wide eyes, shoulders stiff. Pascal’s eyes were narrowed on her. ‘Hey, you okay?’

Rapunzel exchanged a look with her chameleon. ‘Uh, well...’ She was cut off by a small piece of rock bouncing off her head. It was then that they noticed the subtle shaking of the ground, soon accompanied by thuds that continued to grow in volume and what sounded like a… neigh?

‘Run.’ Rafina commanded, pushing Rapunzel and Flynn forward into a sprint. Soon enough, the light of a torch rounded the corner, followed by five men in golden armour and an unfortunately familiar white stallion.

‘RIDER!’

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘Dead end!’

Flynn, Rapunzel and Rafina scanned the wall of rocks before them in desperation, attempting to find a gap or weakness, anything, that could get them out of that small cavern. The water started spilling in at an alarming speed. Flynn dived into the pool that had formed below them, whilst Rapunzel slammed her pan’s handle into the gaps.

Rafina tried her luck with the fire poker, lodging them within crevices and pushing with all her might. Of course, the rocks didn’t budge. Gritting her teeth, she gripped the iron bar as hard as she could, ignoring the sting of its edges on her skin. Grunting, she pushed the poker forward, leaning against it. ‘Kh!’ The water lapped at her thighs, soaking into her boots. 

‘It’s no use! I can’t see down there!’ Flynn cried out as he clambered onto the rocks. Rapunzel inhaled, about to dive into the water before he pulled her up. ‘Hey! There’s no point!’ He pushed her hair out of her face, staring her dead in the eye. ‘It’s pitch black down there.’ Rapunzel’s shoulders sagged as reality struck, eyebrows upturned as her breath caught in her throat. 

The sound of frantic splashing turned their attention to the young girl stuck with them, trying as hard as she could to dislodge the rocks. ‘Rafina,’ Rapunzel started, before the struggling girl slipped forward. ‘Rafina!’ Her hand shot out and latched around her wrist, preventing her from colliding with the sharp rocks before her.

‘Wh, what are you doing? We have to keep trying!’ Rafina pried her arm from Rapunzel’s grasp, voice breaking. The older pair angled their heads downwards, frowns pulling at their lips and eyes dull. Even Pascal was slumped against Rapunzel, clinging to her strands of wet hair. ‘We can’t just give up!’ Flynn could see that their younger companion was shaking, though he couldn’t tell if it were from the cold, or the idea of death, or both.

Seeing their defeated expressions, Rafina clenched her fists, eyes swirling with desperation. ‘We can’t do this now! It’s not possible!’ Flynn flinched at her cry, wincing when the girl slammed her fist into the rocks. ‘Not when I finally got the chance to meet you again…’ They lapsed into a silence, the thief gazing upon the minstrel in a new light. He could only regret not realising it sooner, because maybe then, they could’ve spent a little more time together, not as strangers, but friends.

As they stood in that dark cavern, the water engulfing their bodies, Flynn’s memories started to rush to the forefront of his mind, flashes of the past replaying endlessly. He was reminded of how he chose to live his life: from a nameless, abandoned child to a teen criminal with a debt, then to an infamous thief with the name of a swashbuckling rogue. 

Was he proud of how he lived his life? Was this really what he wanted?

‘This is all my fault.’ Rapunzel spoke, voice soft and on the verge of breaking. She pressed the heel of her palm to her eyes. ‘She was right. I never should have done this.’ She slumped against the rocks, sniffling. ‘I’m so… I’m so sorry, Rafina. Flynn.’ Soft sobs started to escape her as she held herself.

Rafina’s defiant demeanor faltered for a moment at the sound of the blonde’s sorrow. She lay a gentle hand on her arm, fingers curling into the fabric. In spite of the circumstances they were in, she seemed to retain a stubborn fire in her eyes, as if death was simply impossible at the moment.

Flynn couldn’t help but let a sad smile spread on his face as he let out a sigh. ‘Eugene.’

‘What?’ Rapunzel croaked. 

‘My real name is Eugene Fitzherbert. Someone might as well know.’ His sudden confession seemed to lift the blonde’s spirits a little, as the corners of her lips twitched upwards. 

‘I have magic hair that glows when I sing.’ Rapunzel confessed. Flynn blinked, brow wrinkling.

‘What?’ He asked in disbelief, though something seemed to dawn on the woman as her eyes lit up.

‘I have… magic hair that glows when I sing!’ She repeated with fervor, switching her gaze between her friends. ‘Rafina, that tune you were playing!’

‘Huh?’

‘Flower gleam and glow,’ Rapunzel sung quickly, the water level rising to their chins. ‘Let your power shine-’ The three took deep breaths in as the water covered them completely.

For a moment, they were consumed by the darkness. Their senses have been dulled, completely numb due to the coldness of the waters. Then all of a sudden, light ruptured through the dark.

Rapunzel’s hair swirled around them, glowing a brilliant golden hue and lighting up their surroundings. Flynn almost let out all his air out of shock, hands flying to his mouth. Rafina was transfixed on the magical hair, brows raised. Their eyes followed the long trail of gold to what looked like a weak point in the wall of rocks. 

Without hesitation, Flynn swam down towards it, hefting the rocks aside. Rafina was quick to get to work beside him while Rapunzel hovered close by, making sure they had enough light to keep going. With one final grunt, Flynn thrust his arm forward.

Rafina let out a gasp as the water slammed her back, pain shooting through her body as light flooded her vision once more. She felt herself fall, plunging into yet another body of water as rocks fell in behind her. Soon enough, something solid hooked itself around her waist, forcing her upwards and into the cool evening air.

Rafina found herself hitting solid ground with a wheeze. The prickly sensation of grass and the grimy feeling of soil never felt so welcoming. She could hear her friends taking in large gulps of air with her, the blonde on her right and the thief on her left.

‘We made it.’ Rapunzel managed to say, voice heavy with relief.

‘Her hair glows.’ Flynn mumbled to himself in complete and utter disbelief. Rafina dragged herself onto land with a groan.

‘We’re alive… I’m alive!’ Rapunzel hoisted herself up, somehow still brimming with energy. 

‘I didn’t see that coming.’ Flynn continued. He sounded like a broken man. It’s impressive that he managed to focus on something completely different after almost dying. ‘Her hair actually glows.’ He looked down on Pascal, who was staring at him in concern. ‘Why does her hair glow?’

‘Eugene!’

‘What?’ The thief cried out as if he’s had enough. Rapunzel sent him a warm smile as she and Rafina hoisted her hair from the river.

‘It doesn’t just glow.’

Flynn looked down at Pascal again, whose lips were curled into a smug grin.

‘Why’s he smiling at me?’

Word Count: 1 840

A/N Did you notice that during the whole water scene in the movie, Pascal wasn’t present? (Either that or I’m just blind haha) Anyway, first fragmented chapter! Didn’t want to include fluff (the useless kind) and kinda just wanted to get into the meat and potatoes. I fear like my desire to write for the series is hindering my ability to write, haha. I guess I’m a bit impatient.

**Author's Note:**

> AO3 is a first for me. I have no idea what I'm doing, haha. I apologise for poisoning this platform of well-written fanfics with my own. As stated in my summary: "This story is just a "writing to get rid of writer's block" project for me, so read at your own risk! Feel free to leave comments about your thoughts, criticisms, etc, but remember that I'm writing this for fun! Let's not get too serious!"  
> This is my attempt at escaping the hardships of real life and writing for a movie and series that I love. I don't want to get super incredibly serious about the content I'm putting out, but I do attempt to ensure that it's of decent writing quality before it's been published. If this does not deter you, feel free to read on. I'd be happy knowing that there are a few people out there who want to read/skim through this. :D


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